Keep Your Cool

Tips for Staying Cool and Safe in Seattle Southside

Waiting out a heat wave? Beat the heat and have fun while you're at it!

There are plenty of places to chill out in Seattle Southside, from shady parks to breezy beaches to comfortable, air-conditioned restaurants.

Cool Indoor Spaces
Chill Out with Cold Treats
Swim and Splash
Safety Tips

Get to a Cool Indoor Space

When it's too hot to want to be outside, one of the best places to be is the blissfully well air-conditioned Westfield Southcenter Mall. As the largest shopping center in the state, it contains more than 140 stores and a spacious movie theater. You'll have plenty to do, see, eat, and explore.

Most libraries in the King County Library System are air-conditioned and available as cooling centers, if you’d like a more educational diversion while you cool off.

In need of more stimulation while you stay cool? While it isn't free, the Museum of Flight is air-conditioned and a great place to learn about the history of the aerospace industry. Going to the movies is another great way to pass the time while staying in air-conditioned comfort.

Chill Out with Cold Treats

There's nothing like cooling off with an ice-cold sweet treat.

Kakigori Dessert Cafe serves Korean-style shaved ice (called bingsoo) topped with adorable (and fully edible!) frozen animals.

At SomiSomi, the creamy soft-serve ice cream is served in a crispy, goldfish-shaped waffle cone. Choose from ice cream flavors like matcha, ube, and strawberry, add a filling like Nutella or red bean to the cone, and top it all off with something nostalgic and fun, like Fruity Pebbles or Oreo crumbs.

New York City-based Shake Shack is also famous for its house-made frozen custard, hand-spun milkshakes, and root beer or creamsicle floats.

For authentic Mexican treats, head to Sweet D'licias in Des Moines, a small shop specializing in nieves de garrafa, a Mexican sorbet, and raspados, or shaved ice. Choose from common flavors like strawberry, or branch out to something a little less typical, like mamey (which has a slightly sweet, pumpkin-like flavor) or tamarind.

If you haven't tried halo halo, it's a layered, multi-textured Filipino dessert featuring ice cream, shaved ice, fruit jelly, pudding, and other toppings. Try it out at Jollibee's in Westfield Southcenter Mall. Max's Restaurant also serves this dessert along with a full menu of Filipino comfort food.

Fun for kids of all ages at the Angle Lake Spray Park

Swim and Splash

Care for a swim? Check out our guide to the best beaches in the Seattle area. You can brave the chilly waters of Puget Sound at Des Moines Beach Park, Redondo Beach, or Saltwater State Park.

Or, take a dip in a freshwater lake at Angle Lake Park, which boasts a sandy beach, views of Mt. Rainier, and areas shaded by large Evergreen trees. The splash park is a huge hit with kids, drawing families from near and far to play all day in the exciting water features.

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Safety Tips

Wherever you go, keep the following safety tips in mind:

  • Wear sun protection like a hat and sunglasses.
  • Drink plenty of water,
  • Pack extra sunscreen and be sure to reapply it every few hours
  • Keep an eye on yourself and others for signs of heat exhaustion, which can include dizziness, headache, muscle cramps, and nausea. If you see these symptoms, move the person having them to a cooler spot, have them sip a cool beverage, and make sure they’re resting with their feet up. If untreated, it could escalate to heat stroke, a very serious condition. If someone is running a high fever or becoming unresponsive, call 911 and move them to a cooler location right away.
  • Visit the King County Public Health website to learn more about how to handle heat exhaustion.

Be safe and stay as cool as you can out there!

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Christy Maggio

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Christy Maggio

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